MMO Social Epidemic

[Orryo]

MMO's have evolved into a segregation of interests, like school. You either play to progress or play to have fun. As of yet, I haven't seen someone do both (even if they claim to). If you browse the first page of the forums, do you think you'd really enjoy listening to most of these players in game?

You bring up some good points. When you put it like that, it tends to make a good deal of sense. Kind of like kindergarten, no one really knows themselves and everyone plays together, but as time goes on you start finding your own little groups. I suppose MMO's reached adolescence. If every one began to post in the chat channels in the same manner as they do on Facebook, well...I suppose I would go insane, and be that guy in DF that just flips for seemingly no reason, haha.

[Orryo]

in game (not in this forum) there hardly other player ever try to help newbies that keep shout ask for help...
sr player doesnt bother to explain dungeon mechanic to newbies

Glad you mentioned this. I have always played heals in all MMO's. Yesterday I started tanking and have loved it. I enjoy explaining to new people what to expect from bosses, as opposed to people just running in guns blazing. I like a quick pace, but I also don't want some one feeling overwhelmed, or lost. I feel if I offer someone a more positive experience they won't be as inclined to cancel their sub , ultimately leading to FFXIV having more success, leading to more content, and better problem solving, and so on.

[Orryo]

(You may not have met them, but there are way more sociopaths on this game than you can imagine. Try a DF on CT.
I mean lol, even JP players are starting to act as jerks, expecially on titan ex/ifrit ex runs. Everyone must be perfect or kick him at 2nd wipe. lol.. )

Too intense for me! In the future I imagine some great war starting in a video game. "Oh yeah you didn't interrupt? Expect drones on the top of the hour!" I will stick with the domestic jerks.

[Mere]

If 30 minutes of silence bothers you, why don't you start a conversation !?

Most of my dungeon runs are fun... except when there is a griefer on the party, but now we have vote kick xD

If nobody talks, I talk. I might be talking to myself for a while, but ppl eventualy join me too. Oh and if you check my profile, I'm mainly heals or tank, so thats NOT an excuse for being quiet yet expect others to entretain you. The GCD is long enough to allow for conversations to happen.

[Teon]

Until you feel to be sociable and willing to chat, do it. Players like you are unvaluable, and will forge the future real community of this game, once jumpshippers got their TESO/whatever mmo coming this year

[Dark-Saviour]

Tomorrow will be better, right?

'Tomorrow will be special; yesterday was not.'

Anyway...

I think a large part of the problem comes from two things:

1) Guilds
2) The nature of the content.

The former serves to create insular communities that see themselves more from the perspective of 'the group' rather than being focused on the individuals that comprise the game's community..
I could get into a whole rant about my disdain for guilds, but I'll spare you that.

As for the latter, because the game follows a progression-based system with rewards at the end, it promotes the idea that 'Failing to complete a run makes the run worthless.' Since everyone gets their prize at the end (potentially), everything leading up to it is a pointless exercise in tedium. As such, people don't want 'other players' to join them; you merely want 'tools' for the sake of completing the task.
And because of the mentality of getting through things as quickly as possible, even if someone did want to socialize, that simply can't happen since time spent chatting is time not spent expediting the run.

[zakalw3]

Many players in this game are on console, with no easy way to quickly respond.

[amnie]

instead of always whining about the bad folks, be one of the good folks.

[Morningstar1018]

I'm usually very quiet myself, but my group experience overall is: Everyone's silent all the way, greet then bid farewell, thanks for the run/party, ...then you have what happened on a second Garuda run last night .
I cleared it the first time in three tries(all were silent by the way-clear then leave) and the decided I wanted a rematch. After two wipes the DPS was cussing up a storm(at the game which wasn't so bad). Then I rushed in before I saw stoneskin that was my bad -_-'. Then the DPS says: "F???ing moron" Then Garuda did her wind slash move. The healer didn't quite make it to the rock and was hit hard. As if to add fuel to the rager's fire she then finishes the healer. Then the DPS says: Garbage healer. I'm so F???ing pissed off! Me thinking: Ok I've gotta...no...leave. I can't play for the rest of the night. I'm done. Forget this...
It's this kind of thing that prevents me from chatting... That and the nervousness of being made fun of for asking questions.

[Seobit]

Most of the social interactions in MMOs are done over voice chat.